﻿﻿Are Breathing Pattern Disorders Contributing to Your Patients' Symptoms?﻿﻿We are currently experiencing a dramatic increase in chronic health conditions and the need for education in healthy lifestyle choices and skills.BPD's affect the functioning of the respiratory and biomechanical systems and the cognitive state. More often than not this is a learned habit due to stress, pain, or learned habit from childhood.Before the digital age, these patients were known as ‘fat folder’ patients that fell into the category of medically unexplained symptoms (see Nijmegen Questionnaire).

Following lack of definitive diagnosis, these are patients frequently steered towards psychological treatments as anxiety is often a significant cause / result. Whilst this pathway is undoubtedly required in some cases, these are patients who frequently miss out on what can be a relatively simple process of explanation, reassurance and re-training normal respiration.﻿﻿﻿Mechanics ﻿﻿﻿With increasing research, especially into the more complex role of breathing in postural and movement control, we are using breathing re-training far beyond just resetting the abnormal physiology associated with over breathing.Recognition of the role the respiratory muscles play in movement and postural stability has made breathing retraining an important part in correcting maladaptive patterns associated with chronic pain, asthma and COPD, as well as the musculoskeletal demands of sport.Establishing optimum breathing from early childhood gives musculoskeletal mobility and stability, autonomic regulation, ability to manage anxiety and stress, the skills to recognise signs of returning symptoms and confidence to resolve.